Shot-proof structure for cars



, E. MOLANE.

SHOT PROOEI STROOTURE POR GARS.

(No Model.)

Patented Ap1.29,1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica EBENEZER MCLANE, OF GALENA, KANSAS.1

SHOT-PROOF STRUCTURE FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,949, dated April 29, 1890.

Application tiled January l0, 1890. Serial No. 336,496. (No model.)

y citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galena, in the county of Cherokee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Forts to be Used in Railway-Cars; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

My invention relates to improvements in forts or similarstructures designed to be used in connection with express and other cars as refuge for the person in charge of the car against the attacks of train-robbers, and from which he can successfully defend himself without liability of being injured.

The frequency of railroad-train robberies and the injuries and indignities suffered by express-1n essen gers in defending the property intrusted to their care render it essential and necessary that some means should be provided or a refuge constructed in which the agent, messenger, or other person in charge could iind a shelter in times of attack and from which he could resist the onslaughts of the robbers.

The object of the invention is to provide a' fort or structure of bullet-proof material provided with suitable port-holes, and so constructed, located, and arranged within the vcar that in times of attack the person in charge can fasten himself securely therein, so that he cannot be reached or dislodged by ordinary means, and from his place of safety can direct a iire upon the robbers through the port-holes without any danger of being injured in return.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and then definitely pointed out in the claims. l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of one end of an ordinary express-car with my improved fort or safety-inclosure located therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the fort. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral l designates the floor of the car, 2 the end' thereof, and 3 one of the sides.

The numeral 4 designates the base of the fort or structure, consisting of four sides, forming a square housing or inclosure and provided with a door 5, opening outwardly into the interior of the car. The edges of this door are inclined or beveled, so as to prevent its being forced inward, the doorframe being correspondinglybeveled for this purpose, and is provided with suitable locks or other fastening devices.

The structure is made of sheet metal, (preferably steel,) so as to be bullet-proof, and all joints are protected by angle-irons G, secured by means of rivets. At the top the base portion flares outwardly, forming an octagonal or eight-sided beveled or inclined wall 7, to which is secured the upwardly-projecting portion S. rlhe wall 7 and portion 8 are of the same material as the base portion to which they are riveted or otherwise secured, the joints being protected by angle-irons, as in the base portion. In the inclined wall 7 are formed a number of port-holes 9, closed vby .means of outwardly-swinging hinged doors l0, which are held in their closed position by means of springs l2 secured thereto and to said wall.

For the purpose of preventing the door from being' priedvopen a seriesv of metallic strips 13 are riveted around the door-frame, forming a projecting protecting-flange which entirely surrounds the door when closed, rendering it exceedingly difficult to inserta jimmy or other tool or implement to force the door open.

The structure is located in one corner of the car, with a part of the upper portion-8 and wall 9 with its port-holes projecting over the sides and one end of the car, so that the occupant of the structure can direct his fire upon parties outside of the car as Well as inside. It will be understood from the foregoing that in case of an attack the agent or messenger will fasten himself within the fort, where,out of reach of the robbers, he can defend the property intrusted to his care.

l am aware that it is not new to construct a fort or other similar bullet-proof structure within a railroad-car, so that the express-agent can take refuge in said structure in times of attack by train-robbers and from the interior thereof direct a iire upon the robbers both in- IOO Side and outside the cnr; and Such I do not broadly claim.

Htl-ving' thus described lnyinvention7 what I claim isl. The combination, with mi express-cm', of a bulletproof struct-ure consisting ofv a base portion et, inclined oetagonzil Wall 7 provided with port-holes D, the upper portion 8, and the door 5 in the base portion, n section of said upper portion and inclined wall extending outside of and projecting` over the sides and end of the car, substantiallyas described.l

2. The combination, with nn express-cnr, of :i bullet-proof structure consistingl of :L base portion l, having n door 5,111@ edgesof which are beveled, the door-frame having corre` EBENEZER MCLANE. lVitnesses:

J. STROMAN, J. W. CRAIG. 

